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High-Vacuum Pumps

Astrobotic — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:30:20 -0700

High-Vacuum Pumps

The moon has a hard vacuum, so for testing, high-vacuum pumps are invoked after lower vacuum is achieved by roughing pumps.

Video Footage of a Test Ride

Astrobotic — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:50:38 -0700

Video Footage of a Test Ride

This video streams video imagery from a 'flying eye' aboard the robot during a field test of remote operations.

Remote Operations

Astrobotic — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:58:29 -0700

Remote Operations

Remote operations exploit camera views and state information to guide driving and camera motions. Field testing evaluates how this works through a thin, delayed, intermittent data pipe. The object encountered in this test is a crude mock-up of an Apollo lander.

Satisfying the Self-Viewing Requirement

Astrobotic — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:15:42 -0700

Satisfying the Self-Viewing Requirement

Outward viewing is required to create video of landing/departure and arrival, but the more difficult challenge is self-viewing. Self-viewing of 40% area is required by the rules. Self-viewing is invaluable for monitoring interaction with terrain.

Rejecting heat

Astrobotic — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:25:20 -0700

Rejecting heat

Thermal solutions for the moon exploit radiation, since convection is irrelevant in vacuum.

Shake, bake and radiate

Astrobotic — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:45:38 -0700

Shake, bake and radiate

Radiation, vacuum and vibration robustness distinguish lunar-relevant avionics from earth-relevant electronics.

Three-eyed 3D eyes

Astrobotic — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:14:49 -0700

Three-eyed 3D eyes

3D viewing (provided by stereo) matters for remote operation, safe motion, and for value of the artifact imagery. Operation can continue at reduced capability if one of the two cameras fail. The third camera carries the required telescopic zoom, which is useful for microscopic closeups, for scanning distant horizons (including look-backs to the lander and lookaheads to destinations..... and for viewing details of historical hardware. The pan-tilt drive requires more torque than intuition might suggest. Cabling and friction loads usually dominate inertia and imbalance. Loading aside, cable management is more art than science. This prototype cabling wouldn't fly for many reasons.

Locomotive pitfalls

Astrobotic — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:17:28 -0700

Locomotive pitfalls

A mobile robot's configuration can be its own worst enemy. Much attention is directed toward locomotive drive and traction, so the oversights usually occur elsewhere. The most common impediments are hangup of hubs and sideframes, high-centering of undercarriage, and exceeding the designed approach angle. This video looks at some of the pitfalls.

Tracks in the sand

Astrobotic — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:48:41 -0700

Tracks in the sand

Tracks in the sand tell the story of where and how a robot travels. The ninety-degree pivot in this photo consumes more power than the straight driving. The amount of turning, called 'steering activity', is determined by the presence of obstacles that the robot must circumvent versus obstacles that it can surmount. If a robot can surmount all obstacles in a terrain, then routes are straight lines to objectives. If a robot must circumvent most obstacles, then paths are circuitous. Details of terrain obstacles cannot be known a priori, so rover locomotion is capable of going over most obstacles, and rover navigation avoids the rest.

Wheel Machining

Astrobotic — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:26:47 -0700

Wheel Machining

A wheel is crafted by machining a cylinder, then a bowl, then a shell, then grousers, spokes and hub. Like everything with technology, it sounds easier than it is.